WEBVTT A MOTHER OF TWO REVEALS HERSHOCKING DIAGNOSIS AND HER PLANTO PROTECT HER CHILDREN FROM THESAME DISEASE.EMILY REIMER TELLS US...THEDECISION INVOLVES A VACCINE THATHAS BEEN THE CENTER OFCONTROVERSY.REPORTER: SHE TOLL HERSELF SHEHAD A STUBBORN SORE THROAT MAYBESON SILL LITIS UNTIL THESYMPTOMS GOT WORSE.MY VOICE STARTED TO CHANGE.HER DOCTOR ORDERED A BIOPSY ANDNEVER EXPECTED TO HEAR THE WORDS"THROAT CANCER.">> I JUST LOST IT.I BROKE DOWN.I WAS CRYING.>> SHE DOESN'T SMOKE OR DRINKHEAVILY.INSTEAD HER DOCTORS IDENTIFIEDSURPRISING SOURCE.>> YORES IS, UM, CAUSED BY HPV.>> HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIE IS THEMOST COMMONLY TRANSMITTED IN THEUNITED STATES.HP VIST SO HON, THE CENTERS FORDISEASE CONTROL WARNS MOST SEXLYACTIVE MEN AND WOMEN WILL GET ATLEAST ONE TYPE OF HPV AT SOMEPOINT IN THEIR LIVES.>> 15-15-20 YEARS LATER IT CANDEVELOP INTO CANCER.SOME STRAINS CAUSE CERVICALCANCER.THE STRANS THAT CAUSE CAN THENTHROAT AND NECK.SEASON THEA WAGNER AND THETREATMENT TEAM AT THE CANCERCENTER WORKED WITH MARY ANNAFTER THE DYING SIS.>> YOU KNOW HPV POSITIVE CANCER.THAT TYPE OF CANCER IS MUCH MORECURABLE THAN OTHER TYPES BUT THEQUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT THEWASSING TO EAT AGAIN IS NOTGUARANTEED.>> SHE STRUGGLE THROUGH WEEKS.THE PAN WAS INTENSE.>> IT WAS SO HORRIBLE.FROM ONE TO TEN IT WAS 20.>> TODAY, MARY ANN IS INREMISSION AND THANKS TO THERAPY,SHE CAN EAT AND SWALLOW WITHOUTPAWN.>> THEY TOOK SUCH GOOD CARE OFME.I MEAN, MY TEAM WAS AMAZING.>> THERE IS A VACCINE TO PROTECTPEOPLE HPV STRAINS THAT CAUSECAN.THE CDC RECOMMENDS IT FOR ALLBOYS AND GL AGE 11 OR 1-Z 2YEARS OLD.MARRY ANN SAYS HER DAUGHTER JUSTGOT HIT.HER SON.>> YOU CANNOT SAVE YOUR CHILDRENFROM EVERY SINGLE BAD THING INLIFE BUT YOU CAN AT LEAST SAVETHEM FROM THIS.>> THE CDC ESTIMATES THERE ARE14 MILLION NEW CASE OF INVECTION IN THE U.S. EACH YEAR.MOST PEOPLE WON'T DEVELOP HEALTHPROBLEMS BUT THEY COULD STILLSPREAD THE I HAVE TROUS OTHERS.FOR ANOTHER INFORMATION ABOUTTHE VACCINE, LOG TON THE WCVB

Some HPV strains cause cervical cancer. Less common in women are the strains that cause cancer in the throat and neck.

"We know that with HPV-positive cancers, that type of cancer is much more curable than other types," Wagner said. "But the question of whether or not she was going to be able to eat again is not guaranteed."

Martinkus struggled through weeks of radiation and chemotherapy. She said the pain was intense.

"It was so horrible," she said through tears. "On a scale from 1 to 10, it was a 20."

Today, Martinkus is in remission. After intensive therapy at Beth Israel Deaconess, she can eat and swallow without pain.

"They took such good care of me," Martinkus said. "I mean, my team was amazing."

There's now a vaccine to protect people from HPV strains that cause cancer.

The CDC recommends it for all boys and girls, age 11 and 12, before they become sexually active.

Martinkus said her daughter just got the vaccine and her son will too.

"You can't save your children from every single bad thing in life, but you can at least save them from this," she said.

The CDC estimates 14 million new cases of HPV infection in the U.S. each year. Most people won't develop health problems, but they could still spread the virus to others.